Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:1/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:א׳

אאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, לְהַגִּיד כִּי בִּרְכָתוֹ מְקֻיֶּמֶת, כִּי אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הָיָה וּתְפִלַּת יְשָׁרִים רְצוֹנוֹ. וְהִנֵּה יִקְרָא הַכָּתוּב לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְכֵן שְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים וְאֵלִיָּהוּ וְזוּלָתָם, וְלֹא יֹאמַר הַכָּתוּב אִישׁ ה', אֲבָל יֹאמַר מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד ה' (דברים ל"ד:ה'), וְהַטַּעַם יָדוּעַ לְכָל מַשְׂכִּיל. וְכֵן עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת וְזֹאת הִיא הַבְּרָכָה, כִּי מֵאֵת ה' הָיְתָה זֹּאת (תהלים קיח כג), וְכֵן בְּיַעֲקֹב נֶאֱמַר (בראשית מט כח) וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם, זֹאת הַבְּרָכָה הוּא שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים קיט נו), זֹאת הָיְתָה לִּי כִּי פִקֻּדֶיךָ נָצָרְתִּי, יִרְמֹז לְצִיּוֹן עִיר דָּוִד כִּי שָׁם צִוָּה ה' אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין. וּלְזֶה הַסּוֹד נִתְכַּוְּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (בראשית רבה ק':י"ב), וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם, עָתִיד אָדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בִּי לְבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם, וּמִמָּקוֹם שֶׁפָּסַקְתִּי אֲנִי מִשָּׁם הוּא מַתְחִיל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ פָּתַח לָהֶם בִּוְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה, מֵאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם שֶׁפָּסַק לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם, הֱוֵי וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם, הַבְּרָכוֹת הַלָּלוּ אֵימָתַי מַגִּיעוֹת אֶתְכֶם, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה וְגוֹ', כִּי הַמִּלָּה הַזֹּאת תִּרְמֹז לַבְּרָכָה שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה וְהִיא הַבְּרִית, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית יז י) זֹאת בְּרִיתִי. וּכְבָר הִזְכַּרְתִּי זֶה (ויקרא טז ג):

1AND THIS IS THE BLESSING WHEREWITH MOSES THE MAN OF G-D BLESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BEFORE HIS DEATH. It states the man of G-d in order to indicate that his blessing will be fulfilled because he was the man of G-d, and the prayer of the upright is His delight.¹ Now Scripture calls Moses our teacher the man of G-d, and so also the rest of the prophets,² 342, lists eighteen prophets of whom Scripture speaks as ‘men of G-d.’ Elijah,³ and others,⁴ (I Samuel 2:27), and other similar cases. but it does not state “the man of the Eternal;” instead it says Moses the ‘servant’ of the Eternal.⁵ Who has created everything, and Moses’ conception of Him was like that of a servant who is afraid to behold his master. Moses was also the man of G-d, since all his deeds and words came by command of the Almighty (Ma’or V’shamesh). The reason is known to every student learned in [the mystic lore of] the Torah. So also by way of the Truth, [the expression ‘v’zoth habrachah’ (and this is the blessing) means that] “v’zoth is the blessing” [as explained further on], for From the Eternal has ‘zoth’ (this) come.⁶ and not “the man of the Eternal” is known to every student of the mysteries of the Torah. And now he begins to explain, on the basis of the Cabala, the unique expression of v’zoth habrachah. Similarly it is said in the case of Jacob, ‘v’zoth’ (and ‘this’ is) what their father [Jacob] spoke unto them.⁷ It was this blessing that David meant when he said, ‘Zoth’ (this) came to pass unto me, because I have kept Thy precepts,⁸ alluding to Zion the city of David, for there the Eternal commanded the blessing, even life forever.⁹, 133:3. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand. Our Rabbis meant this secret in their interpretation in Bereshith Rabbah:¹⁰ “‘v’zoth’ (and this is) what their father spoke unto them.⁷ A man like me is destined to bless you, and, from the very place where I [Jacob] concluded — from there will he begin. At the moment Moses our teacher rose to bless them, he began with ‘v’zoth habrachah’ (and this is the blessing) — from the very place where their father concluded. This then is the meaning of the expression ‘v’zoth’ what their father spoke unto them⁷ [their father Jacob told them that the next blessing they receive would be from a man who will begin with v’zoth — v’zoth habrachah]. He [i.e., the patriarch Jacob] said to them: When will these blessings reach you? From the time you accept the Torah, in which is written, ‘V’zoth’ (And this is) the Law etc. ”¹¹ For this word zoth alludes to the blessing which is the Torah, and this is the covenant, as it is written ‘Zoth’ (this is) My covenant.¹² I have already mentioned this.¹³, 2:20 (Vol. I, p. 79); Exodus 25:3 (Vol. II, pp. 437-438).